Other Things

I spent the entirety of my freshman year tending to my ailing Daadi Maasi (my great aunt). Later, I cared for Daadi (my paternal grandmother) and Veena Buha (Daadi's sister-in-law) for the first three months of junior year. Both occasions were far from difficult; on the contrary, I adored the time I spent with elderly family members. It was a valuable opportunity to learn about the places that I come from and the people who have helped shape me.

 

Growing up, the indisputable matriarch of my father’s family was never far away. Daadi Maasi, whose fond title translates to Grandma Aunt, was a recluse whose presence filled her home outside Detroit. I chose to spent the summer of 2022 in Maasi's house. I questioned her about the fabled immigrant experience. "Life changed and I changed too. I didn’t do anything special," she often replied. Maasi was diagnosed with stage four cancer in October of 2022. Visits transitioned into care as we looked after her during her nine-month battle with cancer.

 

During junior year, my Daadi visited the United States alongside her sister-in-law, Veena Buha. My father works. My mother does not speak Hindi. I became the personal jester and chauffeur for two eighty-year-old Indian women. Throughout the three months I lived with them, I enlisted friends to help clean their home and organize outings.

 

These experiences were serious responsibilities, but also opportunities to ask questions and learn from another generation.